1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an electrophotographic image forming apparatus and a process cartridge for use with the electrophotographic image forming apparatus.
2. Description of the Related Art
An electrophotographic image forming apparatus is an apparatus for forming an image onto a recording medium by an electrophotographic image forming system. Examples of such apparatuses include electrophotographic copying machines, electrophotographic printers (e.g., laser-beam printers, LED printers), facsimile machines, and word processors.
A process cartridge can include at least cleaning means and an electrophotographic photosensitive drum, and can be detachably mounted to the body of the image forming apparatus.
Conventional electrophotographic image forming apparatuses using an electrophotographic image forming process adopt a process cartridge system in which an electrophotographic photosensitive member and process means for the electrophotographic photosensitive member are integrated in a cartridge, which can be detachably mounted to an image forming apparatus body. With such process cartridge system, users can themselves maintain the apparatus and do not require repair people, thus significantly improving ease of use. Such process cartridge system is widely used in image forming apparatuses.
Recently, multicolor-image forming apparatuses utilize a plurality of process cartridges of different colors. Providing the plurality of process cartridges detachable to the image forming apparatus body improves ease of use for users.
The multicolor-image forming apparatus can be personalized by vertically disposing a plurality of process cartridges to reduce its installation area in view of space saving.
The image forming apparatus with the above structure may have a flat process cartridge to reduce the height.
For this purpose, for example, a technique for cleaning means is disclosed in Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 10-301460 in which waste toner, which is a transfer residual developer agent, is carried horizontally and a waste-toner storage chamber is formed in a flat shape.
With the above-described structure, the rigidity of the part where the waste-toner storage means is disposed becomes lessened. As such, when the user strongly grasps the process cartridge, the waste-toner storage chamber may be deformed.